Fastener for mail bags



June 9, 1925.

A. E, LOW

FASTENER .FOR MAIL BAGS Filedy oct. 15. 1924 Patented June 9, 1925.

UNIT ED STATES 1,541,427 PATENT FFIQE.

ARCHIE EDGAR Low', or TTWA, ONTARIO, eANADA.

FASTENER Fon man; Bees.

Application med yoctober 15, 1924. seriaiNo. 743,332.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIE Ensign Low, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city `of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Mail Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for bags and the like and more particularly to a fastener adapted to be used in combination with the string or cord and formed with means adapted to detachably carry a label, and the objects of the invention are to provide a simply constructed and durable fastener of this character to engage with the loose ends of a securing rope or cord on a mail bag, parcel and the like to tension the cord and retain it when tensioned.

Further objects are to provide a device of this character formed with means designed to slidably engage with a label or card.

Still further objects are to so improve and simplify the construction that the various parts will more satisfactorily and economically perform the several functions required of them and whereby a cord engaged by the device will not be worn or otherwise 1njured while in Contact therewith.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists essentially in the device an example of which is described 1n the present specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings that form part of the same.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate cor responding parts in each ligure:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the de vice as a whole.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section.

Figure l is a section on line L11-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail showing the cord openings in fastener.

In the drawings the device as a whole comprises a metal plate 10 having formed therein adjacent each end and extending therethrough holes arranged in pairs 11 and 12. These holes are designed to engage with theloose ends 13 and 14: of a cord 15 which in its turn is designed to extend aroundA the mouth of a bag or the like whereby, on the loose ends being pulled, the mouth of the bag is closed. These holes 11 and 12 are formed with inwardly turned down lips 16 and 17 adapted when the loose ends 13 and 14 of a cord are drawn in one direction therethrough to grip them and thus provide a complete and eicient closure for a mail bag or parcel or the like. In addition to this feature, the sides of the plate 10 intermediate of the holes 11 and 12 are bent inwardly and longitudinally to form guideways 18 and 19 into which a card or label may be passed, the centre of the plate between these guideways being formed with a series of spaced indents 2O to provide bearing means for the card to travel on more readily, while a stop or bump 21 extending transversely is pro# vided at one end to prevent the card from travelling beyond the guideways.

It will be noted that the holes 11 and 12 are almost circular in formation at one end at 11a, this portion being extended longitudinally at 11b and formed with the inwardly turned flanges or lips 16 and 17 to allow the plate 10 to travel freely thereon when moved forwardly in engagement with the loose ends 13 and lof the cord 15 and to grip said loose ends in locked position on the plate 10 being moved backwardly.

From the foregoing the operation of my combined fastener and label holder will be apparent. A mail bag, parcel or the like having been secured by means of a cord or string 15, the loose ends, instead of being tied together in a knot, are slipped irst through the openings 12 in the plate 10, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, then along the back of the plate and through the openings 11 at the other end. From the formation of the openings 11 and 12 with the lips 16 and 17 on the sides thereof, it will be seen that when the plate is moved forwardly as far as may be required to securely tension the cord 15 that it will slide easily but that on any reverse movement of the plate being attempted the lips 16 and 17 will at once grip in locking engagement with the loose ends of the cord 15 and can only be released by an upward lift of these loose ends, freeing them from this engagement to travel freely in the round portion of the holes 11 and 12. The fastening plate can thus be pulled back fand the Cords helding the parcel7 mail bag: or the like closed allowed to slaeken to open 'the latter.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently Widely dierent embodiments of my invention, Within the scope of the claims, constrncted Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the Yaccompanyingspecication and drawings shall be? interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

IVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A bag fastener comprising single piece of metal provided with cord-receiving holes at each end having inwardly bent sides designed to provide langes to engage and grip ropes or the like passing through said holes.

2. A bag fastener as claimed in claim l in which the ropeor cord-engaging holes are so formed as to permit a rope or cord to pass freely therethrough in one direction ,and in the opposite direction to engage and lock with said rope.Y

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of a Witness.

ARCHIE EDGAR LOWZY fitness1 W. TV. CUFFE QUIN. 

